Prophet of Islam

Few individuals in history have profoundly influenced the course of human culture and development. Muhammad bin Abdullah is one such notable figure. Born in the late 6th century (570 CE) in Arabia, Muhammad was the only son of Abdullah and Amina, belonging to the Banu Hashim clan of the prominent Quraysh tribe.  

His father, Abdullah bin Muttalib, passed away six months before Muhammad was born. When Muhammad was six years old, his mother Amina also died, leaving him to grow up as an orphan. 

He was raised initially under the guardianship of his grandfather—Abdullah’s father, Abdul Muttalib—and subsequently under the care of his paternal uncle, Abu Talib. 

By the time Muhammad was born in the city of Mecca, the local Arab tribes in the region were deeply immersed in idolatry and polytheism. At that time, the Arabs worshipped 360 idols installed within the Kaaba—a sanctuary in Mecca—making it the focal point of their religious beliefs.  

The guardianship of the Kaaba, the sanctuary housing these idols, was held by Muhammad’s grandfather, Abdul Muttalib. At that time, Abdul Muttalib and the members of the Banu Hashim clan—or the Quraysh tribe—were not only participants in the idol worship taking place at the Kaaba in Mecca but were also the ones who took the initiative to transform the Kaaba into a major pilgrimage site for the entire region and to spread its renown. 

Significant aspects of Muhammad in history: 

(i) He steered the Arab tribes away from polytheism towards monotheism.  

(ii) He affirmed the authenticity of the Torah (Tawrat), the Psalms (Zabur), and the Gospel (Injil), and made the Arabs aware of their exalted status.

(iii) He eradicated some of the many social evils prevalent among the Arabs. (S.58:2) 

(iv) He brought peace and harmony to Arab tribes who were living amidst constant conflict and feuds, and succeeded in uniting them.

(v) He elevated the Arabs—who had remained obscure and uncivilized until the 6th century—to the status of world rulers.

(vi) He established the second-largest religion in the world, which ranks second in terms of the number of adherents among all global faiths. 

(vii) Despite living as an unlettered man, he delivered the Quran—the Islamic religious scripture that millions of Muslims read with devotion and reverence in the Arabic language.